Phonogram-reproducing apparatus.



W. F. MESSER. PHONOGRAM REPRODUGING APPARATUS.

; APPLICATION FILED 11116.13, 1909. 961,980. Patented June 21,1 10.

2 BEEETS 8HEET 1.

1 Jhienior mZZz'wmflMasser I W. F. MESSER. PHONOGBAM REPRODUGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION rILian AUG.13, 1909.

Patented June 21, 1910 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v municatin'g with particular poii'it I i :One object WILLIAM F. MESSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PHONOGRAIVI-REPROD UCING' APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 13 1909.

Patented June 21, 1910.

Serial No. 512.718.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern: I

e itdtnown that I, "VILLJAM F. Mnssnii, a citizen of the United States residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of provision of an apparatus such as above indicated in which the liability of accidental escape of the expanding molding agent from the molding" chamber except at a desired l i t the space between the ma- With these to be considered as the main inois, have invented certain new and use I tune and through the proper channel is ful Improvements in lhonogriliii-llepl'oduc- 3 ellnnnated. ing Apparatus, of which the following is a 5 Another ob ect is to provide a means specification. whereby the air confined between tl1(3 1i1tllT1X his invention relates broadly to an imt and phonograin blank nay be, during the provement in apparatus for the production process of contacting said blank and matrix, of honograms being directed more partieupermitted toeasily and completely escape ml; to such an apparatus designed to prol h'o n between said parts at an approximately cluce that form of record known a cylinnnit'orm rate of flow, thus'insui'mg', in conder record in the process of manufacture of 5 junction with a. perfectly-sealed moldin which the plastic record l'iiaterinl is molded chamber {1 (lPSlliil (Oliifflct Of the blank and under the influence of the expansive force i matrix and overeon'iing the above nientioned of a fluid molding agent, Such as te m disadvantage of an impeded escape or parunder pressure or the like 1 tin] retention of said air.

The salient features of the invention rei Another object is to provide a phonogram Side in a resilient, removable seal disposed l apparatus in which a movable headpiece in such manner as to hermetically close the 5 while being-autnmatieally seated to operative molding hamber i to whi h th e ndi g position will simultaneously seal the ends of mold fluid is introducedanijl in corrugated t the nii'ildingchamber and be adapted to be contacting portions of the base block, head t lo ked in said position while the phonograin plate, and matrix whereby air escapes eomis being molded.

tlix and the blank phonogi'ani are provided. It; is Well known in the art to which the invention r lates that a large proportion of i objects the nprovemont will be des v-ribed l v I cylinder phonogran'is as at present produced I 1' l in the tollmring specification taken in (onneetion with the drawings aceompanylug the same and forming part o'l' tldslapplioalion. and then more spei-iliealtv pointed out: in the appended claims. I in thedrawing's. l igzure l are not: true reproductions of the master recorddue in large part to two commonlyexperienced causes, namely,

the escape duris a side elem-- mg the process of forcing the phonograin tion of m invention, the head plate being blank in contact. with the matrix from some 'ill-ust rated as part|all seated in op 'i'at are part: of the molding chamber of a portion of the fluid 1 n'iolding agent. which results in oit expansive ioree of l position on the matrix. Fig. :3 is a central. Vertical Seetion of the base btoi-lc. head plate, matrix, phonograin blank, and fluid inlet gaj a t at diff t; i t on th l ti pipes, all shown in operative situation. Fig. blankand incidentally producingtoo deep 3 is a bottom plan ot the head plate, showing ortoo shallow an mnnression of the i.ndenta tionsof the matrix on the blank which, as obvious, causes a .false tone alueat. that when the. record is be'ii' g' imperfect or distorted result 0f ;-a partial freten one member of the sealingniiuins, and Fig; 4 is a top plan of the apparatus with the details o't. my in ike' reference eliarae IGIS i e,.- i Ia tsftliroughout;thesov eral figures, l denote sl a'base block of the molding apparatus formed of any desired conformation asto plan outline and of suitable rigidity and stableness to withstand the W apOrtion of the air- 'bet'w natr1 x ad the. phon'i'igrain.v blank during een 5o erat ionand creontja'ct etweenthem.

of the present; invention is the preventing a to thealrawings, wherein usual pressure incident to the operation of apparatus of this class. The base block 1 isforlned with an approximately circular, centrally-disposed depression 2 in which the matrix and cooperating parts'of the apps ratus are designed to seat and be effectua held a ainst lateral movement thereof, the

1 her, such as rubber or the like, formed, as

illustrated, with beveled edges to eliminate gpossibility of accidental dis lacement and "disposed within a suitablyormed groove i the lower-end of the phonogram blank durprovided in the depression 2 and spaced from the edges thereof an appropriate dis- :tance to contact said sealing member with ingthe molding process, as later explained.

obvious-the member 4 can be easily removed from its retaining depression if occa-' 2'5" sion arises such as when substitution is defis'ired on account of wear or the like.

5 denotes a matrix, of usual cylindrical form employed in molding phonograms of this'class' and having of course impressed upon its inner face a negative of the indentat ons recorded upon the master record. An

annular. reinforcing member 6, formed of any suitable material," such .as brass or the like, is shrunk upon the lower end of the matrix 5, the lower face of said ring lying approximately in a lane coincident with that of the lower e go of the 'matrix, as

shown. The circumferential face and the bottom face of ring 6 are formed with a corrugated surface 7 the ribs of the former extending practically in a vertical direction,

-'provide for said ribs contacting with the corrugated surface-3 of depression 2, the- 'ring being I disposed throughout its entlre length, and contactingwith that portion of said depression under-- said "ring being of such lateral extent as to ribs on the corrugated bottom face of said radially thereon lying said face, the above-described arrangewar very small cali 'mentprovidinga"plurality of air channels er communicating with (the space which exists between the matrix fgnd' the phono 'ram blank previous to the orcingof 'th'e atter into, contact with the ro'rm'er; Y i

8 ndlcates an upper annular IBXHIEOIClIlg -'inember[attached to theupper end of the matrix in similar manner and relative 031- 'tio'n asrin'g lid/to the lower end of said 'mfw trix andi'provided with a, corrugated face 9,

the ribs-thereof being arranged in radial normally over eo1,eso

sive in circular dimension with ring 8 is provided on that portion of its lower face which ies the ring 8 and upper edge of the matrix 5 with a corrugated or knurled face 11 formed'of ribs disposed in radial form similar to those of face 9 with which face 11 is designed to so contact when the head plate is seated in operative position on the matrix as to provide a series of air channels communicatmg with the space between the matrix and blank in similar manner and v with like function as the channels formed between the base block and the ring 6, the cons struction just described in conjunction with that of said base block and corrugated contacting ring 6 providing unobstructed passage fcr the escape of air from said space at practically all points at the top and bottom of the matrix, the air being of cou1'se', as obvious, forced from said space into these channels at a practically uniform rate of flow as the. phonogram blank approaches and is forced into contact with the inner record face of the matrix under the influence of the expansivc force of the molding agent, all of said air being thus forced from said space into the channels and thence into 1 tl1'e.surrol'uuling atmosphere immediately firior to the contact of the expanding blank and the matrix. An upper sealing member 12 by in the headplate in a suitable annular groove 1n approximately vertical almement with said lower sealing member, against the proximate faces of which sealing members of such consistency and the. cotiperat-ing parts are so proportioned that when the head plate is seated in operative [position vand locked therein and under' press'ure of the molding agent that said flanges will be forced into the scaling members and effectually seal .the molding chamber,

14 denotes a pair of npwardly extending lug platesformed if deslred integral with head-platellO and to which is pivotally' and removably attached one end of a seating-bar 15 disposed in loose contact with standard 16 formed with offset 17, and pivotally conpreference similar in form and material to' the lower member 4 1s removably disposednected at its opposite end with standard 18 both of said standards and also the base block 1 being-suitably attached 'asjdesired'to a sup porting platform 19. Connected to offset 17 and adapted for pivotal movement ingrela- .tion thereto is a lifting lever 20 between which and the standard the seating bar passes, to the lower end of which lever a dog 21 is pivotally swung, the lever, dog and the cooperating parts of the seating-bar being of such relative dimensions and position that in the forward movement of the lever as shown in full lines in the drawings, the dog 21 will contact with the lower edge of the seating-bin 15 and raise it and the connected head plate out of contact with the 1 matrix and phonogram blank. movement of the lever, as shown in dotted A reverse above and below the upper and lower edges lines in Fig. 1 will force the dog out of con- 3 tact with said lower edge and permit the head plate to drop into operative position and contact the upper sealing member with the phonogram blank, said blank having been previously seated of course in contact with the lower sealing member. A key 22 is adapted to be forced manually between the offset 17.and the upper ed e of the seatingbar and rigidly'hold said ar and attached head plate in locked operation position.

11 inlet pipe is denoted by 23, said pipe being connected to any desired source of molding fluid under pressure, such as steam, said pipe being of course provided with appropriate inlet and cutout valves.

24 indicates 'an inlet pipe designed to convey a volume of cooling medium under pressure, said cooling agent, such as chilled air I or the like being introduced, as well understood in the art, subsequent to the contacting of the phonogram blank and the matrix for the purpose of setting the former to a sufli ciently rigid consistency appropriate to its safe removal from the molding chamber.

The blank, formed of any usually desired material, such as celluloid, having been placed in the molding chamber with its lower flange in contact with the lower seal lng member, the head plate is swung into position and seated by operation of the lever 20, when key 22 is employed to lock the same in place, the upper sealing member contact ing when said head plate is seated With the upper flange of the blank, as obvious, said blank lying at this period of the process in sl ghtly spaced relation to the positioned matrix. Steam or other moldingtluid is then introduced through pipe 23 and the bla k,-initially introduced into the molding chziinbcr in an appropriate state of plasticity, forced against the matrix under pressure of the molding fluid, the upper and lower seals rendering the molding chamber perfectly steam tight, as desired, while the air confined between the blank and the matrix previous to the introduction of the steam or other molding fluid is forced out from between said parts into the channels formed by the contacting corrugated faces of the matrix rings and the base block and l l I I respectively of the phonogram cylinder.

2. A phonogram reproducing apparatus, including a matrix, means for supporting the matrix, and a sealing strip underlying and bearing directly on the lower edge of the cylinder.

3. A phonogram reproducing apparatus including a base block, a head plate, and a sealing strip inclosed by each of said parts to engage and bear directly on the ends of the record cylinder.

4. A phonogram reproducing apparatus including a base block, a head plate, a matrix supported in the block and engaged by the head plate, the contacting surfaces of the matrix and head plate being formed to pro- Vide a series of divergent air escapes disposed in thesame horizontal plane.

5. A phonogram reproducing apparatus including a matrix, a record cylinder, a base block, a head plate, said base block and head plate being formed with a plurality of radially-disposed channels to permit escape of air from between the matrix and cylinder.

6. A phonogram reproducing apparatus includin a base block, a head plate, and a removable sealing member embedded in each of said parts to engage and surround the uppermost and lowermost parts of the record cylinder. r

7. A phonogram reproducing apparatus including a base block, a head plate, a matrix supported in the block and engaged by the head plate. the contacting surfaces of'the matrix and head plate being corrugated to provide air escapes.

8. A phonogram reproducing apparatus including a base block, a head plate, a matrix supported in the block andengaged by the head plate, the contacting surfaces of the matrix and the head plate being formed with radially-disposed corrugations to provide air escapes.

9. A phonogram reproducing apparatus including a matrix, a base plate for support;-

ing the matrix, a head plate cont-acting with including a base block, a head plate,

including a mtttrlx;

and blank. I

11. A phenogram reproducing apparatus including a head plate, and sealing members i'emew ably embeddedin said plates beyond the terminals of said blank and bearing directly on said terminals.

12. Aphonogrem reproducing apparatus :1 rece pholiegre hilblenlrl and a series of :rtldmlly-dispwed channelsto permitescape of air from between said lmttrix a phonegram blank, gt base plate,

0rd :eylihder, eealing members extreme ends of the cylinder.

In testimonfy whereof, I affix my signature" two witnesses.

, WILLIAM FQMESSEP, itusses (1L mm, I CHAS. E. Freeman.

in presence 0 remeveblyi embedded in said block and plate, and means, 

